Navigating Challenges in Workplace of the 21st century

26 Oct 2013 by Adeline Lum CM-

 

The Internet changed and is changing the face of our workplace in the 21^st century. Pr Philip Lyn of SIB Skyline church in Sabah –plenary speaker of the ALPHA Workplace Conference in Penang 2013– highlighted global work trends and how we as individuals and the church should respond to the changing trends.

 

 

Among the GLOBAL WORKPLACE TRENDS highlighted by Pr Philip were:

 

 

1. Cost of goods are reduced by outsourcing to a cheaper workforce and a more affordable air freight transportation
2. World competitiveness has increased with competition from international companies.
3. Increased synergy of company management with local culture due to cross-border investment.
4. Shamrock structure is replacing the top-down management. The Shamrock consists of a small core of professionals, with a group of subcontractors that produce goods and services that the core could not.
5. Part-timers producing specific services are growing. Part-timers are only employed according per need basis of the organization and services, to fulfill the increased demands for customization of goods and services.
6. Decision-making is made on the spot. Organization is flattened to allow the middle management makes decision.​
7. Increased virtual corporations that improve flexibility for workers.
8. Increased knowledge obsolescence due to rapid advancements in science and technology. In other words, what you learned becomes outdated if not replaced by new knowledge.
9. Younger employees are having shorter tenures with different employers, compared to the older generation who work and stay with the same employer or company over their lifetime.
10. Value of work is determined by solution of complex problems. The better you are in solving novel, complicated, and chaotic problems, the higher your value is in the workforce, which usually comes with a higher income.
11. Development of worker with seven basic skills, which is no longer optional but necessary in the workplace.
    • Learning ability
    • Know how to read, write, and compute.
    • Communicate and listen effectively
    • Analytical skills
    • Team work and negotiation skills
    • Management skills
    • Influencing skills​​
12. Stress levels are increasing. Job stresses are more associated with health complaints compared to financial and family problem. Eighty percent of people are stressed at work and half of them said that they could use some help in managing stress. (1)
13. More women are working today than every before (2). More women are increasingly working while taking care of their children at home (2). Single mothers are growing significantly in first world country (2).
14. The old are staying at work longer and retiring age is rising.
15. Younger people are staying in school longer with increased skills.
16. Increased diversity due to migration of workers. In Malaysia, migrants from the Philippines and Myanmar come to work here.

 

 

3 WAYS CHURCH SHOULD RESPOND IN MALAYSIA

1. People have less time for church-based training due to traveling for work and leisure. Hence, individual or group discipleship can be done online.
2. People ask about the meaning of their jobs. The church needs to guide them in knowing their calling and finding their meaning in their work, so that their job is not only a job.
3. People are more stressful in the workplace. The church needs to meet the specific needs of working adults such as stress management and financial planning.

 

 

3 CHALLENGES OF WORKPLACE IN MALAYSIA

1. Corruption, which increases the gap between the rich and the poor. It destroys a person’s conscience, increases the cost of business, destroys divine purpose and fulfillment at work, and brings a curse upon the land.

Pro 14:34

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people

2. Religion extremism
3. Racism

 

Our country without any of these three elements would enable quality of life goes up another level.

 

 

3 THINGS WE CAN DO IN OUR WORKPLACE

1. Diffusion- Be the salt and light

Working with integrity preserves the morality at work and cleanses the industry. Say “no” together to corruption     and do not underestimate the power of one in resisting evil.  

2. Dominion- Spiritually before Physically

Do not live in grey area but transit into the white area. For example, prophet Daniel was trained with all the theologies and magic of the Babylonian empire, but he still followed and obeyed God. Eventually, Daniel took dominion in the Babylonian empire as the King’s advisor.

3. Divine intervention

Before we ask for God’s divine intervention, root out racism in our hearts and repent before God and men. Only then, can we respond with grace and have God’s authority reasserted in our workplace.

 

 

 

References for articles:

1. http://www.stress.org/workplace-stress/
2. http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2011/02/14/causes-and-consequences-of-the-increasing-numbers-of-women-in-the-workforce/
3. http://www.20-first.com/1317-0-its-official-at-last-women-outnumber-men-in-us-workforce.html